Chapter Twenty-Three
Finn pulled in front of the Beaver Tavern, his nerves on edge.
A hand rested over his, the comforting touch the only thing he’d ever need. He glanced over to his mate, Navi, who leaned back in the seat as if she belonged there. The sight of her made him want to make a detour before the rendezvous with Jess and the others a couple of hours north. Several weeks had passed since he’d killed Dale Rossi and they’d broken up the smuggling ring, and he’d healed well despite a painful first week. Except, despite the way they’d taken down the head distributor, Mackey’s involvement remained complicated.
Because Joe Ganzorig’s name was stamped all over those invoices. And when they’d driven down to pay their shaman friend a visit, his place had been cleared out. All those years Rossi had spent selling people out had caught up to him, because Ganzorig had made him into the scapegoat this time.
“Hey, we’ll probably be around these parts before you know it,” Navi said, her words bolstering him. “After all, something about this area seems to keep attracting Mackey’s attention.”
He swallowed, his throat tightening on reflex. He was shit at goodbyes and this would be the biggest one he’d ever faced. Today, he would say goodbye to the place that had nurtured him, one that helped him grow into the man he’d become. He would be leaving behind the gym he’d put up for sale, and lifelong friends who meant the world to him.
However, his wolf had stopped the restless march in his chest that had filled him with anxiety the past couple of years. His newfound path gave him the contentment he’d been longing for, the challenge he’d been searching for ever since he’d lost the alpha position. And he’d be fighting alongside a mate he not only adored but respected.
Finn sucked in a deep breath. Game time.
He hopped out of his driver’s seat and headed for the front of Beaver Tavern. Navi slunk up behind him and, as they approached, she grew quiet with a contemplative look in her eyes. He stepped to the door, but the normal buzz and chatter wasn’t flowing from inside.
The moment he stepped in, he understood why.
“Surprise!” dozens of voices hollered when the lights flicked on. Red Rocks of all ages, from the elders to the littles to his best friends, lined the tavern. Even Raven stood behind the taps as usual, a half-smile on her face.
A wide grin rolled onto his face and Navi smirked beside him, unruffled.
“You knew,” he accused.
She shrugged. “Unlike you, I’ve got a poker face.”
He shook his head, stepping inside as Sierra and Jer approached to greet him. Jer slung an arm around him and Sierra passed him a pint of Guinness.
Jer squeezed his shoulders and leaned his head in. He was Finn’s oldest friend and, no matter how far he traveled, nothing would change that. “Should’ve known you wouldn’t settle for the little leagues. Can’t just aim for another pack—you’ve got to go and start working for the Tribe.”
A sarcastic quip leapt to his lips, but he stopped himself. That fit their usual interchange, but he was leaving. “And you deserve to find your own happiness, brother.” Their eyes met and, for a moment, he saw all the shattered pieces in Jer’s gaze, one that gripped him, Jer and Raven alike. He’d fought to break the cycle, but it hadn’t been easy. He hoped with all his heart that his friends had managed to do the same.
“Hard to believe our pack beta is leaving us,” Sierra murmured, unable to hide the sadness in her voice. Finn swallowed the ale, and he couldn’t dodge the way his eyes pricked with heat. “Your position might be filled, but you know, Finn Kelly, you’ll never be replaced. You will always be a Red Rock.”
“Always,” he said, his voice coming out hoarse with emotion. That was the solemn truth, one it took finding the woman of his dreams and the adventure of a lifetime to learn. No matter how far he traveled, he would always be part of this pack.